A/N: I don't own any of this.

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...

"Momma, where's daddy?"

"He'll be coming through there any minute baby," Kate said pointing toward Castle's terminal. Liam rocked back on his heels, leaning back into her shins. He titled his head back, looking up at her with his father's blue eyes. She smiled and brushed his dark curls off his forehead. "Are you excited to see him?" she asked.

"Yes!" he screeched enthusiastically.

"Me too," she murmured as her eyes travelled the width of the terminal entrance. According to the monitors, Rick's plane should have landed about ten minutes ago. She had to keep her eyes peeled because he had no clue they were going to be there waiting. It had been a long two weeks since she'd seen him last. He was obligated, under his contract at Black Pawn, to do a European book tour for his latest Nikki Heat novel. It was the longest he'd been gone since Liam had been born. And God had she missed him.

Liam spotted Castle through the crowd first and took off running before she could stop him.

"Liam!" she called sternly, but the boy only had eyes for his father. When Castle finally found the source of the shrieking his face split in two with a happy grin. He dropped his carry on and crouched just in time to catch Liam in his arms.

Kate pushed her way through the mass of people. Her heart clenched pleasantly at the sight of her baby wrapped in Rick's arms. Castle was placing smacking kisses all over Liam's giggling face. He brought the kid and his carryon with him as he stood up. His eyes locked on Kate's immediately.

"Surprise!" She said as he pulled her into his side. Rick shifted Liam on his hip and then leaned down to kiss his wife. He meant to keep it quick but when he tried to move away she tightened her hold on his neck and slipped her tongue briefly into his mouth.

"Hi," he whispered as she pulled back. "Miss me?" The corner of her mouth twisted as she gave a noncommittal shrug of her shoulder.

"I guess," she said as she turned toward the luggage claim.

"Liar," he called out after her. "Your mom is such a liar," he mumbled to Liam. Kate threw him a sultry look over her shoulder and slowed until his fingers laced with hers. She then pressed a kiss to his jaw.

"I missed you Daddy," Liam said patting his father's cheek reassuringly. Castle chuckled and then blew a raspberry into the two year old's neck causing Liam to erupt into a fit of giggles.

"Thanks buddy, I missed you too. Both of you."

...

Liam fell asleep on the ride home from the airport. Kate pulled him from his car seat while Castle grabbed his luggage from the trunk of their SUV. On the elevator ride up Rick rubbed a hand up and down Liam's back unable to tear his eyes from the boy. Kate was having a hard time taking her eyes off her husband as she rocked her hips side to side trying to keep her sleepy boy asleep. They were quiet the entire ride up. Castle looked like he could use a nap too.

While Rick deposited his luggage in their bedroom Kate put Liam down in his room. She found her husband standing at the bottom of the stairs waiting for her with a sly grin on his face.

When she reached the bottom step she wrapped her arms around his neck squeezing him tightly to her.

Kate pressed an open mouthed kiss to his pulse point and then working her way along his jaw to his mouth. Her tongue was insistent as it danced with his. She broke for air and rested her forehead against his.

"Tired?"she asked innocently.

"Not anymore..." he rasped as he lifted her off the stairs. Kate laughed at she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Good," she said against his ear, pulling his ear lobe between her teeth. "Hurry, the kid will be up in 45 minutes." Rick groaned, but quickened his step. They both had shed their shirts before they reached the office.

...

Rick was fast asleep almost immediately following their welcome home celebration. She was watching him when she heard Liam making his way down the stairs. She quietly slipped from their bed and slipped Castle's robe on.

"Momma?" She heard Liam call from the kitchen. He sounded panicked.

"Hey baby," she said quietly. He turned, reaching up his arms. She bent down and swung him up onto her hip. "Did you have a good nap?" He nodded and rubbed the remaining sleep from his eyes.

"Where's daddy?" he whimpered.

"He's taking a nap too. You can wake him up in a little bit. Are you hungry?" He nodded again as she strapped him into his booster seat at the island.

After he had finished his late lunch Kate gave him permission to wake up his dad. With a mischievous grin that rivaled Rick's, he took off running toward their bedroom. She paused her cleaning just in time to hear a loud groan from Rick and smiled to herself. Seconds later Liam came sprinting out of the office laughing.

"He's up! He's up!" Liam squealed as he took refuge behind Kate's legs. Castle stumbled out next, in only his boxers, rubbing his chest.

"What have you been feeding him? He has to weigh twice as much as before I left," Rick whined, eliciting another giggle from the two year old. Castle puts a finger over his lips to quiet Kate and then sneaked around the island grabbing Liam's sides tickling the boy.

"Daddy!" he shrieked. Castle then threw the boy over his shoulder much to Liam's delight.

"So, what are we doing today family?"

"Park!" Liam demanded.

...

"I wanna stay with daddy," Liam whined.

They had been playing on swings and slides for the last hour or so and Kate needed to take a restroom break. They had also brought with them a blanket and some snacks. Kate suggested Rick find a spot to take a break. They had been working on the whole potty training business and Kate wanted to see if she could get Liam to go as well. Well that was one reason.

"You can't stay with daddy. You gotta come with me," Kate explained.

"Why?" he whimpered. Castle was looking curiously at Kate.

"Yeah why?" he asked. She narrowed her eyes at her husband because he knew exactly why.

"Because you," she said swooping Liam up and onto her hip, "Are a chick magnet." She rolled her eyes at the cocky grin on Castle's face.

It wasn't that she didn't trust Castle. It was just irritating. Every time she left the kid with him in public she'd come back to some twenty something flirting with her husband. To his credit, he always looked more annoyed than flattered. Even his ring didn't stop them.

As her and Liam walked back from the bathrooms she realized he was talking to someone. A blonde someone. She silently hoped it was just a fan. Although most of his fans were more interested in the man than the books. Which didn't bother her at all. Nope. Not at all.

She heard the voice before she got a clear view of the face. In her surprise she let go of Liam's hand. He began flat out running toward Rick.

"Dad!" he bellowed at the last minute causing Rick to turn and expertly catch the kid in his arms. At this the woman turned completely toward Kate. She groaned inwardly.

Natalie Freakin' Rhodes. Seriously?

Castle's eyes were comically wide. He seemed to also be remembering the way Natalie threw herself at him.

"Crap," Kate muttered under her breath. She then forced a smile to her face. "Natalie, how are you doing?"

"Detective Beckett..." She said with an amused tone. She then looked back at Castle. "...Wow. I hadn't even heard that you had gotten married," she said with eye brows raised at Castle. "And who's this little guy?" She said, raising her voice an octave. Liam recoiled into Rick's neck which made Kate's lips twitch. That's my boy, she thought.

"Liam, this is Natalie. She plays Nikki Heat in the movies," Castle explained to his son. The toddler nodded slowly and then reached out for Kate.

"Momma..." he called out. Kate had never been so happy for her son's sudden shyness. She pulled him against her chest as he buried his face in her neck.

"Sorry he's a little shy," Kate said. "So what brings you to town?"

"Oh I'm shooting a movie just over that way," she said pointing behind her. "I was on a break when I saw Rick here..." Natalie said before she was interrupted by her cell phone. "...Well break's over, they need me back." Oh damn it. "It was nice to see you guys."

"You too Natalie," Castle said smiling.

"I guess you were right about him not being gay," Natalie stage whispered to Kate. She just nodded, biting back a smile. Ok, with the look on Rick's face, that was kind of worth it. When Natalie was out of earshot Castle turned back to his wife.

"Gay?" He choked out. "Why would she think I'm gay?" He said indignant. Kate couldn't stop the laugh that escaped.

"Why else wouldn't you have slept with her?" She asked.

"Well that's an easy one..." He said smirking. She raised her eyebrows in question. "She wasn't you," he said stealing a kiss.